Antrim

Reckless conduct charge in alleged heroin incident

ANTRIM — A man found in a mini-mart bathroom will go to court next week on a reckless conduct charge, after allegedly injecting heroin in a public place.

On Dec. 8 around 9 a.m., the Antrim Police Department received a call from an employee of Dunkin’ Donuts in the T-Bird Mini Mart on Concord Street who said a man was seen going into one of the bathrooms and security cameras showed he had not come out after more than an hour.

Officer John Storro responded to the mini-mart, but when he knocked on the bathroom door, there was no answer.

“I looked under the door and saw someone laying on the floor,” Storro said in an interview Tuesday. Storro said he used a knife to pick the lock, and eventually gained entry the bathroom, where he saw a man laying on his side, “making gurgling noises.”

Storro identified the man by a license in his wallet as Paul Sanguedolce, 39, of Washington. Storro said Sanguedolce was in a “seizure-like state,” according to Storro, but still breathing.

“He was seizing. It looked like he was convulsing like he was having an epileptic seizure,” Storro said. He described the behavior as a reaction to the drug, not an overdose.

Storro rolled Sanguedolce onto his back, so that he could check the man’s airway, and to make sure he could breathe. When he rolled Sanguedolce over, he discovered a hypodermic needle on the floor underneath Sanguedolce.

Sanguedolce did not speak, but Storro said the man made some sounds acknowledging Storro’s presence. The Antrim Ambulance was called and Sanguedolce was taken to Monadnock Community Hospital. According to MCH Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Relations Laura Gingras, Sanguedolce was treated and released the same day.

After being released from the hospital, Sanguedolce got in touch with Storro and met him at T-Bird’s to pick up his vehicle and talk about what happened. “He admitted to using the needle and that it was his needle,” Storro said. “He admitted it was heroin.”

Storro didn’t speak with Sanguedolce again until he had a warrant to arrest him, charging him with reckless conduct; and, on Jan. 9, Storro called Sanguedolce to meet him at the police station. At 3:28 p.m. that day, Sanguedolce turned himself in on the warrant. Sanguedolce was released on $2,500 personal recognizance, with a court date of Jan. 23 at the 6th Circuit Court, Hillsborough.

Storro said a child or someone could have found the needle and been pricked, “so that’s a reckless situation.” Drug charges can be included with reckless conduct charges, Storro said, and since drugs were involved with this incident, Sanguedolce will not face charges for possession of a controlled drug.

Sanguedolce was released on $2,500 personal recognizance with a court date of Jan. 23 at the 6th Circuit Court, Hillsborough.

Staff at the Dunkin’ Donuts in the Mini Mart declined to comment when contacted Wednesday.

Lindsey Arceci can be reached at 924-7172, ext. 232, or larceci@ledgertranscript.com.